A mixture of more than 120 boards that act in particular policy areas are appointed by the Governor, with some boards and seats occupied by ex-officio members (those who automatically sit on a board or commission because they occupy another position). Board members generally serve staggered, six-year terms. Most of these boards select a chief administrator charged with overseeing daily operations.

These boards and commissions cover a broad range of matters, including agriculture, health, education, utilities, and a broad range of administrative and service functions commonly associated with the state bureaucracy. The agencies below are prominent examples.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) regulates all aspects of the production, distribution, and sale of alcoholic drinks in the state. With a budget of over $120 million dollars and over 500 employees, the TABC raises more than $170 million a year in permit and license fees, taxes on alcoholic beverages, and fines. One of TABC's most visible activities is their enforcement of the twenty-one-year drinking age. The TABC web site contains information about the three commissioners and a seven-minute streaming video describing the commission's activities.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has three members that the governor appoints to staggered six-year terms. The agency was created in 1975 amidst public outcry about rapidly increasing utility rates and has jurisdiction over telephone and electric power companies. (Though natural gas is a home and commercial utility for many Texans, this resource falls under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission.) The PUC oversees rates and enforces rules and laws related to electricity and telecommunications. The expansion of telecommunications services and the experiment with electricity deregulation in Texas have been major areas of activity for the PUC in recent years. Telecommunications growth has meant a surge in the PUC's involvement in infrastructure development as companies move to install thousands of miles of new cable in the state. The PUC web site contains some information on the three commissioners and contains consumer protection information as well as information about PUC meetings and the ongoing deregulation pilot project.